Wire-stretcher



J. Nl EMELA. WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATiON FILED MAY 17. I921.

1,397,878, mm Nov. 22, 1921( JACK AVA-M624 #7155555 INVENTOR.

I BY 7 ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACK NIEMELA, OF FORT BRAGG, CALIFORNIA.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Application filed May 17,

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, JACK NIEMELA, a citizen of Finland, residing at Fort Bragg. in the county of Mendocino and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire stretchers or tighteners adapted for use in tightening sagging wires on fences or in the construction of fences, the object being to provide a device of this character that will be of simple and inexpensive construction, durable and effective in operation, and by means of which great force can be easily brought to bear upon a wire to stretch it to any desired tension.-

lVith these and other objects in view. the invention resides in the construction and the arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and finally claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the wire stretcher, a portion of the frame being broken away, showing same in use.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the wire stretcher,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the frame of the wire stretcher,

Fig. at is a section taken on the line -ls of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken through the gripping means used in connection with the wire stretcher.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that 1 designates the frame hich is of rectangular construction and has journaled therein a drum 2 which is fixed to the gear wheel 3. This gear wheel 3 is in mesh with a smaller gear wheel 1 carried on the shaft 5 actuated by crank 6. This shaft 5 extends through the casing and is provided at one end with a ratchet wheel 7 which is engageable by the pivoted dog 8.

An arm 9 extends from one end of the frame 1 and terminates in an offset upwardly extending portion 10 which is formed into an eye hook 11 through which a flexible member 12 is adapted to pass such as a chain or cable. This chain, in the pres ent illustration, passes over the drum 2 which is provided with teeth 13 for engage Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

1921. Serial No. 470,297.

ment therewith. Thus it will be seen that the end of this flexible member 12 will be drawn toward the frame 1 as the crank 6 is actuated since the drum 2 will likewise be actuated through the intermediacy of the gear wheels 3 and 4. The ratchet wheel 7 and dog 8 will retain the cable in this position by allowing the drum 2 to be rotated only in one direction. In order to position the frame 1 upon a fence post such as illustrated at 13, an eye 14 is fixed to one end of the frame 1 to which is attached a chain 15. A slidable block 16 is mounted on the arm 9 and is provided 'ith a pair of hooks 17 extending from its side portion which are engageablc by the links of the chain 15 and thus the frame may be easily positioned in engagement with the fence post 13 as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The fence wire 18 which it is desired to stretch is placed in engagement with the end of the flexible member 12 by means of a gripping mechanism indicated generally at 19. The specific construction of this gripping mechanism 19 may be more clearly understood by referring to Fig. 5. This mechanism consists of a casting constructed so as to be provided with a base plate 20 having at one end an apertured cnlargement 21 through which one link of the chain 12 will extend. Side plates 22 extend upwardly from the side portions of the base plate 20 and have journaled therein a pin 22 for carrying the eccentrically mounted roller 23 so that the wire 18 may be engaged between this eccentricallv mounted roller 23 and teeth formed on the end of the upper face of the plate 20. A similar gripping mechanism is pivotally mounted in the frame 1 and is indicated generally by the numeral 25. The construction of this gripping mech anism is identical with that of gripping mechanism 19 and has for its purpose to grip another wire when it is desired to join the ends of two wires. It will be seen that they may be easily drawn together.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the wire stretcher will be readily understood without a more extended explanation. As numerous changes in form, proportion, and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention, I do not Wish to be limited to the construction herein shown and described other than as claimed.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new is 1. In combination With a wire stretcher of means for attaching same to a fence post, said means including a rod extending from the Wire stretcher, an eye positioned on the Wire stretcher, a chain attached to said eye, a slidable block mounted on the rod, a hook extending from the block and adapted to be enga ed by the links of the chain.

2. In combination, a frame, Wire stretching means actuated in the frame, an arm extending from the frame, a block slidably mounted on the arm, a hook situated on the block, a chain fixed at one end to the frame, and adapted to engage the hook on the block so as to fix the frame in position on a fence post in the manner and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination, a frame, an arm ex the flexible member, a Wire gripping mechanism carried in the frame, a second Wire gripping mechanism carried upon the terminal of the flexible member.

4. In combination, a frame, an arm extending from end of the frame, an eye hook formed upon the terminal of the arm, a drum mounted in the frame, means for rotating the drum, said drum provided With a series of teeth intermediate its ends, a chain adapted to engage the teeth and passed through the eye hook on said arm, gripping elements one of which is mounted in the frame and the other mounted on the end or the chain, a flexible member having one end fixed to the frame, a slidabie block mounted on the arm, a hook fixed to the slidable block and adapted to engage the flexible member for holding the frame upon a fence post in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JACK NIElt IELA.

Witnesses W. F FULLER, 

